Collecting Old Teasers

3/27/2022

Hello fellow sleuths! It's been a little while, so today I thought I would talk about teaser trailers!

HeR Interactive was known for emulating the books by putting a teaser for the next mystery after the current mystery has been solved. Starting in 2002 with Secret of the Scarlet Hand, HeR started adding short teaser trailers for the next game at the end of the game that had just released. They kind of put a teaser at the end of Secrets Can Kill, but it was implemented into the closing letter rather than being its own thing.

I mentioned in a previous post that I've been writing critical walkthroughs for the games. After I write each walkthrough, I record the teaser trailer for the next game, edit it so that only the trailer is in the video clip, then export it as an HD video file. Obviously the footage isn't HD, but when uploaded to YouTube it will give the HD option. Having watched the trailers for games 7-14 in a row, it's really interesting how the style and depth of each trailer has evolved. For instance, here is the teaser trailer for Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake:

It's a very simple trailer! There are two frames (the default frame and one with a lightning strike), some voice over, and some nature ambience. There isn't even a title for the game! It's truly amazing to see how lackluster they started out as. Now take a look at the trailer for Danger by Design:

This trailer has way more going on. HeR actually put together some animated images and created a whole 3D scene just for the teaser. They didn't start implementing 3D animations into the teasers until Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon. As time went on, several trailers became full 3D animations. To me, it shows that HeR really loved to put a lot of thought into something as simple as a teaser trailer.

Do you have a favorite teaser trailer, or game trailer in general? Is there one that stands out the most, or feels the most nostalgic for you? Let me know in the comments!

That about wraps up today's post. Until next time, detectives!

Huw

3 Comments

Haley

3/30/2022 09:51:24 pm

I wish I could remember how I reacted when the first teaser was included at the end of a game; alas, I do not. I'm sure it was exciting.

The teaser that stands out the most in my memory is that for The Curse of Blackmoor Manor. I don't know why exactly that is. Something about it was very intriguing--maybe I was super keen because of the premise. It's also likely that the prospect of Nancy travelling overseas for the first time was really compelling and exciting. Whatever the reason, THAT is the trailer I remember most. Another possibility was that I was new to moderating the forum at the time, and that just added an extra boost of enthusiasm at the prospect of a new game.

I always looked forward to the teasers. That little taste of what was to come was just... thrilling!

Huw Miller

4/1/2022 10:10:45 am

Oooo, the teaser for CUR is one of my favorites! I, too, miss the days of having a teaser that told us what to look forward to. Hopefully there's more news around the corner for a future title!

4/1/2022 11:38:44 am

Another trailer that stood out (which occurred to me after submitting my prior post) is that for DED, and it's not exactly a good thing, haha. I remember when it was first released and I thought, "Oh dear God, this is going to be another TOT." I really thought the premise was horrible and uninteresting to me. I worried it was going to be fantastical and unrealistic. I DREADED the release of The Deadly Device. And then, when it came out, I remember being enthralled immediately by the music playing in the main menu, and I was very confused by my positive reaction, lol. I wound up LOVING that game. This goes to show how poorly, for me, the trailer promoted the upcoming game. (Or does it highlight my poor judgment based on a first impression? Hrm.) The product was not at all as I expected based on the teaser, which was a really good thing!

Has anyone else had that experience, of feeling... "misled," for lack of a better word, by a teaser, and it turning out for the better?

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Collecting Old Teasers

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